Whether you consider it a rebuild or a retool , the return of Carolina Panthers football comes this Sunday. So, what should we keep in mind as the organization begins anew once again?
Here are the top storylines for Sunday's regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints :
Carolina has put all of their chips on No. 9. And when we say "all of their chips," that includes star wideout DJ Moore and four high-end draft picks—one of which eventually became 2024's No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams .
But the initial return on 2023's No. 1 overall pick was not great . . . at all. Bryce Young passed for just 179.8 yards per game and 11 touchdowns while leading not only the worst offense in the league, but also one of the most futile in the history of the franchise.
The organization placed another big chip on Young this offseason, hiring first-year head coach Dave Canales—who helped spark career campaigns for Seattle 's Geno Smith and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield over the last two years. Thus far, the relationship between Young and Canales seems to be going swimmingly, with the former receiving rave reviews throughout the offseason.
Will that success, however, translate when the real action starts on Sunday?
Simply hiring a quarterback whisperer wouldn't be enough. After bringing in Canales and spending a boatload on a pair of new starting guards, the Panthers put down more chips on Young by selecting receiver Xavier Legette and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders in this year's draft.
Legette, the team's first-round pick , may be moved along slowly and surely. With Diontae Johnson , Adam Thielen and Jonathan Mingo above him in the pecking order as of now, the somewhat raw 23-year-old is likely to have a relatively quiet debut.
Sanders, on the other hand, may be stepping right into the fire. Starters Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas have been ruled out for the contest, potentially giving the fourth-rounder a featured role in his very first regular-season game.
Despite holding their opponents to the fourth-fewest yards per game last season, the Panthers defense was the absolute worst in the NFL at getting to the quarterback. And when you saddle their league-low 27 sacks with the losses of Brian Burns , Frankie Luvu and Yetur Gross-Matos —their three leading producers in that stat from 2023—that's probably a recipe for disaster.
That concern has been amplified by what they have (or haven't) replenished their pass-rushing department with this offseason. Three-time Pro Bowler and former No. 1 overall selection Jadeveon Clowney will serve as one of the two outside linebackers—and that's okay. But with their other big free-agent signing at the position, D.J. Wonnum , starting the season on the physically unable to perform list, Carolina is exceptionally thin off the edge.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will be going into Sunday with just three outside 'backers on the active roster other than Clowney—DJ Johnson, Eku Leota and rookie Jamie Sheriff. They have combined for a grand total of zero sacks in the NFL.
So, where will Evero and the Panthers get their pass rush from?
Panthers DC Ejiro Evero thinks DT Derrick Brown can get '8 to 10 sacks' this season
Panthers HC Dave Canales explains release of OLB K'Lavon Chaisson
Breaking down film on Panthers QB Bryce Young's impressive preseason performance
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Biggest storylines for Panthers vs. Saints in Week 1
